AIRTAGS let you easily track things such as your keys, wallet, purse, backpack and more.
However, some people have capitalized on its tracking capabilities to engage in unethical activities.
What is an Airtag?
Released on April 30, 2021, AirTag is a tiny device created by Apple to be attached to objects such as keys or luggage, which can be tracked using an iPhone.
The AirTag can only work with Apple's Find My app, which is already available for finding a lost iPad, Apple Watch, or iPhone.
The AirTags cost $29. However, a pack of four is sold at $99.
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According to the official Apple website, a feature called Precision Finding can show you the exact distance and direction to locate your lost item that has been attached to the AirTag.
The precision finding is compatible with the following iPhone models:
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
How safe is an AirTag?
Despite the usefulness of these AirTags, media reports have warned users of how criminals are misusing this technology in clandestine ways.
In December 2021 for example, a woman named Ellie Tindall told the News 3 Channel that she noticed she was stalked when she found an AirTag attached to her car while helping her friend relocate.
Another woman named Jeana also wrote a post on Twitter about her experience being stalked with an AirTag after a night out with friends at a bar.
She stated: "It was 2am and I was driving away with no cars around me and I kept getting this alert for like 30 mins straight.
"I’ve gotten that alert before while I was in traffic…sometimes when you’re near other people for a while on the road Apple thinks it’s following you, but it was late, and I started to make a bunch of right turns and run counter and I was still repeatedly getting this message,"
Additionally, a swimwear model named Brooks Nader spoke of her ordeal of being stalked, after she noticed that an AirTag was slipped into her bag.
She stated that the incident occurred at a bar in New York City.
How can you avoid being stalked with an AirTag?
Since the AirTag is usually put in a bag or attached to an object, PCMag.com recommends that you regularly check your bags, purses, and luggage.
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You can also check behind the license plate of your car, the edge of your windshield, below the hood of your car, and the wheel wells on your car or bike to locate any AirTag used for tracking.
If an AirTag registered to someone else is moving with you consistently, your iPhone will warn you.
It will alert you if someone has placed an AirTag on your person without your knowledge.
Also if an AirTag has been separated from its owner for a while, it will begin making an alert sound.
Apple has built an app for Android to help you uncover rogue AirTag trackers.
The app is called Tracker Detect.